1. Describe the stasis in the play: where, when, who, what, etc. in a paragraph. The stasis and the initial setting of the play takes place on a warm summer evening in the state of South Carolina. The play spans through several decades, starting from approximately the year 1969, spanning about three decades into the year 1999. The main character, Lil Bit, as her family calls her, is an intellectual and a precocious young girl, who is often misunderstood by her parents, as well as her society. Lil Bit has a mother, and her grandparents, as well as her Aunt Mary and Uncle Peck, Mary’s husband. Lil BIt has a close relationship with her uncle, as he becomes her confidante and driving teacher.
2. What is the intrusion? The intrusion of the play occurs when Lil Bit reveal to the audience that the “married man” that she seemingly is having an intimate relationship with is her Uncle. Following that reveal, the audience has a shift in perspective as all of the actions beforehand by the characters are reevaluated, moreover, the central conflict and drama of the play emerges as we see Lil Bit grapple with her complex emotions towards her Uncle that constitutes statutory rape, as well as pedophilia.
3. What is the unique factor? The unique factor within the play is that this is the day that the Lil Bit tells her story, or her secret, as she states in the beginning. Lil Bit confesses to the audience of the nature of her relationship with her Uncle, and through the use of metaphor concerning learning to drive, paints her narrative.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play? Wil Lil BIt end her relationship with her Uncle? Will Lil Bit finish college? Will Lil Bit confess to her family the nature of her relationship with Peck? 5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it. Ball states that two kinds of exposition consist of information known to all or most characters, and information known to one character. Initially, in the play, the information that the married man was indeed her uncle was unknown to the audience, therefore it became a theatrical and dramatic moment when it is revealed to the audience by Lil Bit herself that her Uncle is who she has a relationship with, adding another level of complexity and inappropriateness to the nature of their relationship. The second kind of exposition that is revealed is when everyone in the audience knows that Peck is her Uncle, as well as that she is having an affair with him. Once that understanding is reached, moments such as the dance in that she did not want to dance with Greg as Peck was there start to make sense to the audience and everyone apart from Greg and her friends in that we know the relationship that Lil Bit and her uncle possess. Moreover, knowing that Lil Bit has an inappropriate relationship with her Uncle and whether or not her Aunt Mary knows about it becomes a sort of tension throughout the play. 6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be. When Lil Bit breaks it off with Uncle Peck as the proposes to her, that becomes the most dramatic moment of the play. We know and are familiar with the complex relationship that they both share with one another, and the tension that leads up to this moment reaches its peak. We notice Lil Bit growing more and more uncertain and distant in their relationship, in not responding to Peck’s letters, etc. The culmination of her growing estrangement towards him coupled with his increasing affection results in this dramatic moment where he proposes as she decides that she does not want to see him again. 7. List some of the themes of the play. Love, Family, Acceptance, Lust, Adolescence, Pedophilia, Marriage, Sex, Maturity, Loneliness, Gender Roles, Piety, Value 8. Choose the character of Li'l Bit in the show and articulate what she wants and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of her getting what she wants Lil Bit wants to be understood and accepted for what she can offer intellectually and not physically. She wants freedom out of the simple-minded country life that she has been a part of her whole life. Obstacles that stand in the way of her achieving this is herself as well as her family(who ultimately reflect society). Lil Bit stands in the way of achieving her own fulfillment in that she self-sabotages in many ways. In example, once she got into school, something that meant a great deal to her, she drank herself out until she ultimately was booted out. Lil Bit wants to be loved and to be valued, something that she feels she does not receive by her family, but which she gets from her UNcle Peck. SHe wants someone to listen to her, and wants to know that she is of value and can contribute much more than her body in her relationships. She is torn because her body is something that her family and society have decided determines her worth. The second obstacle that Lil Bit faces is society. Because her society has dictated that as a woman she is only valuable for sex, she rebels against this notion, sometimes succumbing to it to receive a bit of the attention and affection that she so desires. She feels that in many ways it is easier and more accessible for her to play into what society wants, and in turn feels worse about herself and her sense of self worth as she feels she has betrayed herself by giving in to societal assumptions. 9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play. Images in the play include Lil BIt’s first driving lesson, on the lap of her uncle, as well as the dry martini. Lil Bit;s first driving lesson, and ultimately her first instance of being molested by her uncle are important in that it is the hub of the story. Everything and every action taken by LIl Bit following that lesson was the result of her experience in the car with her uncle. How I learned to drive is important as the title in that it functions as a physical skill, and an emotional one as well. She was able to emotionally navigate certain situations as a result of being molested by her uncle in that car. Following that moment directed and “drove” the course of her life, permanently. The dry martini functions as a testament to her learning to drive in that alcohol itself was a “route” that she, and Peck, took, that altered the course of their lives. Lil Bit was booted from school due to alcohol, and alcohol ultimately killed Uncle Pete. Alcohol was something that Lil Bit had to “navigate” upon learning how to drive. 10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play. Relationship between mother and daughter is examined with Lil Bit and her mother, as well as Lil Bit;s mother and her grandmother. Although LIl Bit’s mother claimed that her relationship with her daughter was a close bond, LIl Bit had not opened up to her mother about her experience with her uncle. Moreover, Every flashback(ie the restaurant) with her mother that LIl Bit had awas constraining and stiff- Lil Bit’s mother would tel LIl bit how she should act, instead of allowing her daughter to live as herself. The relationship between father and daughter is important. Although Lil Bit did not have a strong relationship with her dad, one could argue that the absence of her dad and the need for a fatherly presence resulted in her inappropriate relationship with Peck. The relationship of niece and Uncle and what defines kin relationships is observes as well. Although they were not related by blood Lil bit and Peck were for all intents and purposes Uncle and niece, however, through their behavior and the fact that Peck proposed marriage and justified their lack of familial blood ties being a valid one, there is argument that suggest perhaps they felt guilty about the nature of their relationship due to the fact that society had set up parameters in defining what kind of relationship is appropriate.
The stasis and the initial setting of the play takes place on a warm summer evening in the state of South Carolina. The play spans through several decades, starting from approximately the year 1969, spanning about three decades into the year 1999. The main character, Lil Bit, as her family calls her, is an intellectual and a precocious young girl, who is often misunderstood by her parents, as well as her society. Lil Bit has a mother, and her grandparents, as well as her Aunt Mary and Uncle Peck, Mary’s husband. Lil BIt has a close relationship with her uncle, as he becomes her confidante and driving teacher.
2. What is the intrusion?
The intrusion of the play occurs when Lil Bit reveal to the audience that the “married man” that she seemingly is having an intimate relationship with is her Uncle. Following that reveal, the audience has a shift in perspective as all of the actions beforehand by the characters are reevaluated, moreover, the central conflict and drama of the play emerges as we see Lil Bit grapple with her complex emotions towards her Uncle that constitutes statutory rape, as well as pedophilia.
3. What is the unique factor?
The unique factor within the play is that this is the day that the Lil Bit tells her story, or her secret, as she states in the beginning. Lil Bit confesses to the audience of the nature of her relationship with her Uncle, and through the use of metaphor concerning learning to drive, paints her narrative.
4. What is the dramatic question that should be answered by the end of the play?
Wil Lil BIt end her relationship with her Uncle?
Will Lil Bit finish college?
Will Lil Bit confess to her family the nature of her relationship with Peck?
5. Provide an illustration of the two kinds of exposition that the play has in it.
Ball states that two kinds of exposition consist of information known to all or most characters, and information known to one character. Initially, in the play, the information that the married man was indeed her uncle was unknown to the audience, therefore it became a theatrical and dramatic moment when it is revealed to the audience by Lil Bit herself that her Uncle is who she has a relationship with, adding another level of complexity and inappropriateness to the nature of their relationship. The second kind of exposition that is revealed is when everyone in the audience knows that Peck is her Uncle, as well as that she is having an affair with him. Once that understanding is reached, moments such as the dance in that she did not want to dance with Greg as Peck was there start to make sense to the audience and everyone apart from Greg and her friends in that we know the relationship that Lil Bit and her uncle possess. Moreover, knowing that Lil Bit has an inappropriate relationship with her Uncle and whether or not her Aunt Mary knows about it becomes a sort of tension throughout the play.
6. Identify the most theatrical moment in the play and of what importance it seems to be.
When Lil Bit breaks it off with Uncle Peck as the proposes to her, that becomes the most dramatic moment of the play. We know and are familiar with the complex relationship that they both share with one another, and the tension that leads up to this moment reaches its peak. We notice Lil Bit growing more and more uncertain and distant in their relationship, in not responding to Peck’s letters, etc. The culmination of her growing estrangement towards him coupled with his increasing affection results in this dramatic moment where he proposes as she decides that she does not want to see him again.
7. List some of the themes of the play.
Love, Family, Acceptance, Lust, Adolescence, Pedophilia, Marriage, Sex, Maturity, Loneliness, Gender Roles, Piety, Value
8. Choose the character of Li'l Bit in the show and articulate what she wants and what are some obstacles that stand in the way of her getting what she wants
Lil Bit wants to be understood and accepted for what she can offer intellectually and not physically. She wants freedom out of the simple-minded country life that she has been a part of her whole life. Obstacles that stand in the way of her achieving this is herself as well as her family(who ultimately reflect society). Lil Bit stands in the way of achieving her own fulfillment in that she self-sabotages in many ways. In example, once she got into school, something that meant a great deal to her, she drank herself out until she ultimately was booted out. Lil Bit wants to be loved and to be valued, something that she feels she does not receive by her family, but which she gets from her UNcle Peck. SHe wants someone to listen to her, and wants to know that she is of value and can contribute much more than her body in her relationships. She is torn because her body is something that her family and society have decided determines her worth. The second obstacle that Lil Bit faces is society. Because her society has dictated that as a woman she is only valuable for sex, she rebels against this notion, sometimes succumbing to it to receive a bit of the attention and affection that she so desires. She feels that in many ways it is easier and more accessible for her to play into what society wants, and in turn feels worse about herself and her sense of self worth as she feels she has betrayed herself by giving in to societal assumptions.
9. Describe some possible images in the play and how does the title help us understand the play.
Images in the play include Lil BIt’s first driving lesson, on the lap of her uncle, as well as the dry martini. Lil Bit;s first driving lesson, and ultimately her first instance of being molested by her uncle are important in that it is the hub of the story. Everything and every action taken by LIl Bit following that lesson was the result of her experience in the car with her uncle. How I learned to drive is important as the title in that it functions as a physical skill, and an emotional one as well. She was able to emotionally navigate certain situations as a result of being molested by her uncle in that car. Following that moment directed and “drove” the course of her life, permanently. The dry martini functions as a testament to her learning to drive in that alcohol itself was a “route” that she, and Peck, took, that altered the course of their lives. Lil Bit was booted from school due to alcohol, and alcohol ultimately killed Uncle Pete. Alcohol was something that Lil Bit had to “navigate” upon learning how to drive.
10. Briefly define the family relationships that are examined in the play.
Relationship between mother and daughter is examined with Lil Bit and her mother, as well as Lil Bit;s mother and her grandmother. Although LIl Bit’s mother claimed that her relationship with her daughter was a close bond, LIl Bit had not opened up to her mother about her experience with her uncle. Moreover, Every flashback(ie the restaurant) with her mother that LIl Bit had awas constraining and stiff- Lil Bit’s mother would tel LIl bit how she should act, instead of allowing her daughter to live as herself. The relationship between father and daughter is important. Although Lil Bit did not have a strong relationship with her dad, one could argue that the absence of her dad and the need for a fatherly presence resulted in her inappropriate relationship with Peck. The relationship of niece and Uncle and what defines kin relationships is observes as well. Although they were not related by blood Lil bit and Peck were for all intents and purposes Uncle and niece, however, through their behavior and the fact that Peck proposed marriage and justified their lack of familial blood ties being a valid one, there is argument that suggest perhaps they felt guilty about the nature of their relationship due to the fact that society had set up parameters in defining what kind of relationship is appropriate.